"The day the transfer went through, I left for London with just a small suitcase and a few hours later, I was already on the Tottenham training ground, getting the traditional kick up the backside from my new team-mates by means of welcoming me.

"That's the way things are here in London - hard but hearty."

After two promising appearances off the substitutes’ bench in a 1-1 draw at Norwich, and the 1-0 win at West Brom on Sunday, Holtby says he is relishing the tough-tackling nature of Premier League football.

"The game is brutally hard, but that suits me and I really love it," he added.

"I realised immediately that the speed and the toughness really is different here to the Bundesliga. It's no place for the faint-hearted and the referees don't blow the whistle as often.”

Holtby reserved special praise for the travelling Tottenham support following an "incredible" reaction to his arrival during the 1-0 victory at West Brom on Sunday.

“I loved my second game for Spurs, in which a dream goal from Gareth Bale meant I could celebrate my first win," the 22-year-old continued.

"I will never forget this game against West Brom. The fans sang a song for me for almost all of the second half. It was incredible and I really had goosebumps. I had never expected such support so soon.

"I've just been in England a week and they already have a song for me, who would have thought it?"